Does anyone else not like being marketed to based on religion? Personally I'm not a big fan of products (no offense to anyone who has these) like checks with picture of temples on them, RULDS2 stickers on your car, "I love my Missionary" t-shirts, etc. In a recent Deseret Book ad, I found this: "....one of the most popular writers in the LDS market...." Aargh, I am part of a market because of my belief in sacred things? Just because I am a member of the Church doesn't mean I want to buy your stuff!!! I have gotten phone calls in the last month from Daily Bread (freeze dried food storage company), the Living Scriptures (animated scripture based movies), and even Deseret Book themselves selling a "good, quality movies." The Deseret Book guy was totally trying to work it too! He was like, "Well, you could buy them and give them to someone as a Christmas present. You could donate them to your local library" etc. Also, since it is an election year, just because you are"Mormon" doesn't mean I am going to vote for you! There is a big election sign on the corner of the last major intersetion by the Vegas Temple. It has the guy's name and what he's running for and then plastered across the sign is this sticker banner that says "BYU Graduate" Unbelievable!! Going to BYU does not automatically make you a good person! There are plenty of slightly crooked people who go to BYU. When Romney was running for President, I would've voted for him because I thought he would've done a good job, not because he was LDS. I even took a internet quiz about what qualities I wanted in a President. I picked one in particular - being a business owner - and my result was Romney. So don't expect me to vote for you/shop at your store based on your religion, and don't expect me to buy something based on my religion!!Anyone else have any thoughts/experiences? How is it in places further east than me? Am I just too close in proximity to Utah?
15 comments:
Those Living Scriptures people will not leave me alone! And Deseret Book called me too about the movies and didn't want to take no for an answer and then asked me to just make a donation. No thank you. Last time we went to Utah I saw a billboard advertising for an LDS real estate firm. It really annoyed me. Can you even do that? Isn't it discrimination if you will only hire LDS people? And then using that label of LDS to try and show that you are somehow a better company, more trustworthy, more honest, etc.? I agree, I don't like to see my religion exploited to get gain.
I didn't see that sign up by the temple, or if it was put there by the candidate or a well meaning supporter, but come on fellow members!! That's a really terrible way to build bridges with those not of our faith.
I really feel like those guys pushing Living Scripture stuff are practicing a form of Priestcraft. It's fine to make it, and to sell it for profit. But I think they cross the line by calling it target marketing and getting fellow ward members to give up a contact list by offering a free or discounted product in return.
One time on my mission in Germany, we were teaching a discussion and invited the guy to be baptized. The member with us suddenly goes crazy and starts telling the member about this wonderful herbal drink (from provo)that Gordan B Hinckly himself drinks. Ahhhh, I was completely shocked.
I should hold my tongue (keyboard) before I really start offending well meaning and otherwise decent people who happen to disagree with me on this one.
Did I mention that he was a salesman for the said drink?
(Next annoyance blog topic: Guys who come home from their missions, and for every topic brought up for the next 10 years they have an experience to share that starts off "One time on my mission in _______...)
First, In this day and age I believe that we should give extra attention to any candidate that labels him/herself as lds, we should have people who's moral beliefs are similar to ours. No, not vote for them, but I think it is important to do your homework. I think they are labeling themself that way because the believe they represent lds beliefs. If that wins them a reac it is because the majority of people believe what he/she believes. If you vote for them because they are lds, and only because they are lds, then that is your fault.
To market your product to someone who you think will buy your produt is good business. There are questionable ways to obtain information, and that you can not defend, but contacting past customers is just smart. They bought before why not now. Being a customer does not designate your religion. RULDS stickers, CTR rings, IRON ROD key chains, ect... don't bother me either. If someone provides a service of any kind and you purchase it, Great. I prefer to deal with lds businesses much like I frequent Boulder City businesses. It is more comfortable. It might border on stereotyping(?) but I have found this to be good for me so far. It give you information to begin making your descision.
It's hard to defend my thought when my mind works so much faster then my fingers. I can't slow down fast enough to type everything.
Summary- it is still your responsibility to do your homework before voting and good luck to anyone who labels themself lds publicly, It should lead to LOTS of question from who you wish to represent. religion needs to be a big part of our political descision making. It is no diffrent from rep. or dem. in my book. Businesses are still trying to feed their families. it is no diffrent then if someone from your ward called and asked if you had any work to be don around your house to make some money. You can always hang up.
This is all I could type before my fingers gave up
Erik
Well, thanks Erik for a different point of view!! I think I would not be a very good businessman, er salesman, I guess. I figure if people want/need something then they will buy it and if they don't need/want something I shouldn't try to convince them to buy it. I have never purchased anything from the first two companies I named. I got on their lists from a friend referal (So maybe we should all quit being nice and referring each other? I never thought of that before...) I am a customer of Deseret Book but only occasionally - when I need something. I guess I don't like the bandwagon effect. Maybe it's more prevalent among the ladies... (I don't have my thought properly formulated yet to discuss this at this time. If someone else continues this thought, I may comment back again)
I agree with your whole just because they're LDS doesn't mean. . . arguement. Case in point, Harry Reid. OOOOOOH, that guy makes me so mad. I'll just leave it at that.
Coming from a business degree background, and all the marketing classes I took, this is how the market works, they target those who are more apt to buying a product...no matter how annoying the approach may be, it's the bottom line for their company. Case in point-spam mail, everyone hates it, but it obviously works to drive people to certain sites.
Anyways, maybe I'm not so fired up about it because I have never been approached by any Living Scripture dudes. Maybe you should just move more East for peace of mind:)
Jen
Oh ya I completely agree with you. Try living with your family here in Utah. Everyone just automatically assumes everyone else is LDS and you know what happens when you assume stuff. I am grateful I grew up in a place where you accepted people for who they are not for what they believe. It drives me crazy every time I walk by the living scriptures booth at the mall. Those guys are TERRIBLE.
Leisel - I totally agree with you on Harry Reid.
Jenny - Next time I get hit up by the Living Scriptures, I'll send them your way. And spam mail actually works????
This reminds me why I like to live away from the land of mormons, where to many it is a tradition to be mormon, not a desire to have a religion and then live it!
And don't you love the difference between "I'm mormon" and "I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints"?
what irks me is the inpression these sales tacticas leave on non-members, they tend to be quite skewed.
i definelty do not have LDS stamped on my forhead, and i love it when the subject of mormons comes up at work and people start going off. it amazes me how quickly it comes to a halt when i pipe up and say hey guys.... surprise!!
mostly, i find that the mormon hearsay is so damaging and these tactics just inflate the problem.
btw, wouldn't have voted for romney and im not allowed to tell you who i'd have voted for.... ;-)
HI! I was with Dr. Martin at first but then our insurance changed. Martin didn't take our new insurance, but Swainston did. They are in the same office and I was already used to it, so I stayed. I have a couple friends that go to him and absolutely love him. I still haven't met him though. Do you know him?
I don't have much of a problem with tacky LDS products (other than my dislike for them), but I don't like the assumption we should frequent Deseret Book or we're not true members. The whole "making money off membership" thing is weird to me.
I agree about candidates who flaunt their church membership. I don't care what religion you are, I care whether you and I have similar political, social, and moral (religion-based or not) views. I'm more likely going to vote against a candidate who flaunts his church membership, because that's lame and is actually a red flag. "Ignore my actual policies, fellow members; vote for me because I'm a Cougar!"
Hmmh, I'm off my soapbox. I did like this post, though.
Oh that reminds me! In the Desert Saints magazine (I don't subscribe, my mom does, but I'll pick it up just to see what they say every once in a while) around election time, I looked to see who was advertising. This one guy even went so far as to say "active member of such-and-such ward" Unbelievable!
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